1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a microphone and a wind screen.
2. Background Art
Microphones used in conference rooms are gooseneck microphones, for example. Some gooseneck microphones include ring lamps for indicating the operating state of the microphone. The term “operating state of the microphone” herein refers to the ON/OFF state of the microphone, for example. In the ON state, the microphone transmits sound to a device, such as a speaker, connected to the microphone. In the OFF state, the microphone does not transmit sound signal to the device connected to the microphone.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the outline of a conventional gooseneck microphone. A microphone 16 includes a microphone unit 2, a light emitter 3, a ring lamp 4, a wind screen 105, a front storage unit 6, a rear storage unit 7, and a gooseneck 10.
The front storage unit 6 is a metal cylinder that accommodates the microphone unit 2. The front storage unit 6 is connected to part of the outer circumferential surface of the ring lamp 4.
The rear storage unit 7 is connected to the gooseneck 10. The rear storage unit 7 is connected to part of the outer circumferential surface of the ring lamp 4. The front storage unit 6 and the rear storage unit 7 are both connected to the ring lamp 4. The front storage unit 6 supports the light emitter 3 such that the light emitter 3 positions inside the ring lamp 4. The front storage unit 6 and the rear storage unit 7 define a gap 8 therebetween, through which the ring lamp 4 is visible to the exterior of the microphone 16.
The ring lamp 4 is composed of plastic. Specifically, the ring lamp 4 is composed of polypropylene or an elastomer. The light emitter 3 is disposed in a central hole in the ring lamp 4. The light emitter 3 emits light beams that illuminate the entire ring lamp 4. The light emitted from the ring lamp 4 is visible through the gap 8 to the exterior of the microphone 16.
The ring lamp 4 has a large-diameter portion 41 disposed in the middle area of the outer surface along the axial direction. The large-diameter portion 41 protrudes into the gap 8. The large-diameter portion 41, as well as the ring lamp 4, radiates light beams emitted from the light emitter 3.
The illumination of the ring lamp 4 can notify the operating state of the microphone 16. For instance, a meeting may be conducted by participants and assistants. The assistants include a mixer operator who operates a mixer that controls the signals from multiple microphones and a photographer who photographs the meeting. The illumination of the ring lamp 4 constantly notifies the mixer operator of the microphone in use and allows the photographer to readily identify the speaker. The participants can confirm the ON/OFF state of the microphone through the illumination of the ring lamp 4.
In some cases, the participants and the assistants may visibly confirm the illumination of the ring lamp 4 from different directions. For example, the participants may confirm the illumination of the ring lamp 4 visible through the wind screen 105 of the microphone 16 (i.e., through the front of the microphone 16). In contrast, the assistants may confirm the illumination of the ring lamp 4 visible through the gooseneck 10 of the microphone 16 (i.e., through the rear of the microphone 16).
A microphone 16 with a ring lamp 4 of which illumination is visible by a participant through the front of the microphone 16 irradiates the participant's face with light beams emitted from the ring lamp 4. Thus, it is preferred that the ring lamp 4 do not emit light beams in the front direction of the microphone 16 when the participant is photographed.
The ring lamp 4 of the microphone 16 is required to emit light beams in different directions depending on the use of the microphone 16.
Desired is a microphone which can vary the direction of light beams emitted from the ring lamp.
For example, a conventional microphone has been disclosed that includes a light emitter disposed inside a wind screen and a case (for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 7-16490 (hereinafter, PTL 1)).
Another conventional microphone has been disclosed that includes multiple light emitters accommodated in a window grille (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-93679 (hereinafter, PTL 2)).
PTL 1 and PTL 2 do not disclose a microphone that can vary the direction of light beams emitted from a ring lamp.
Registered Utility Model No. 2558249 (hereinafter, PTL 3) discloses a microphone including an optical indicator that can deflect the visible light from the optical indicator.
The optical indicator according to PTL 3, which emits light beams in a predetermined direction, does not include a ring lamp. The object of PTL 3 disclosing the optical indicator differs from an object of the present invention disclosing a microphone that can vary the direction of light beams emitted from the ring lamp.